Steak with Dairy-Free Peppercorn Sauce
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Juicy rib eye steak is seasoned and seared before serving with the creamiest gluten-free Dairy-Free Peppercorn Sauce. This is a really special dinner for 2 which takes under 10 minutes from start to finish.
Friday has always been the day I work. Itโs the only day when I have childcare for both children and I need to cram a lot in. Cake orders, recipe testing for the blog, photography, writing up posts, scheduling social media, emails and admin. Itโs jam packed and I have to admit I get a little tetchy.
So when itโs all done and dusted the last thing I feel like doing is messing around trying to sort out dinner. The children eat at nursery so I only have to worry about Luke and myself. Still itโs a chore. Well, maybe not so much anymore since I designated Friday night Steak Night!
Steak is so easy to cook at home when itโs just the two of you. It takes under 10 minutes, and always feels special. The perfect end to a busy day and busy week.
Why dairy-free peppercorn sauce?
I try not to eat too much dairy in my meals at home but I was looking for a creamy steak sauce to replace Lukeโs favourite peppercorn sauce.
To be honest Iโm not quite sure what made me develop the recipe in this way but oh my goodness I hit the jackpot. This dairy-free peppercorn sauce is ev-er-y-th-i-ng and you wouldnโt expect how it was made at all.
How to make dairy-free peppercorn sauce?
Will you think this is weird? I donโt know but the two ingredients which make this sauce so incredible are:
- Almond butter
- Almond milk
Donโt be scared or worry that it will taste too strong. This combo creates a perfectly creamy luxurious sauce and you would have no idea that it was made from almonds. At all. Believe me, itโs been tested with so many house guests and family members and no one suspects it isnโt actually made from dairy cream.
So, how do we do it?
- Heat a cast iron pan then add olive oil.
- Season the steaks, add to the pan and cook for 2 minutes each side. Remove the steaks to rest.
- Cook the diced onion in the same pan for 2 minutes.
- De-glaze with the vermouth.
- Add the almond milk, almond butter and stir.
- Pour in the peppercorns, extra pepper and cook for another minute until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Serve the sauce over the steak.
Itโs that easy and I tell no lie, itโs that good.
What to serve with Steak and Dairy-Free Peppercorn Sauce?
I usually serve it with a large green salad. However I would be remiss if I didnโt say that for special occasions we usually cook up a huge batch of homemade oven chips.
Itโs also good with mashed potato and steamed tenderstem broccoli.
What else could you serve dairy-free peppercorn sauce with?
The sauce is incredibly versatile. In itโs original form you can serve it with:
- Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
- Braised Leeks
- Roast Chicken
However, if you remove the peppercorns, add crushed fresh garlic and thyme suddenly you have a Creamy Garlic and Thyme Sauce.
Swap the peppercorns for paprika and garlic. You can have Creamy Paprika Chicken.
If you need a rich creamy sauce then almond milk and almond butter are you go-tos from now on.
Is dairy-free peppercorn sauce whole30?
Yes, except the vermouth. You can de-glaze the pan with a splash of chardonnay wine vinegar or with water instead.
Cookโs Notes
- You can use any cut of steak. This recipe uses a 1 inch thick cut of rib eye steak and cooks the steak for 2 minutes each side for a medium rare steak.
- Make sure the pan is hot before adding the cooking fat so you can ensure the temperature is exactly right so your steaks cook correctly.
- Season the steaks directly before adding to the pan so the salt doesnโt have a chance to draw moisture out of the meat.
- Donโt have vermouth? Use marsala or brandy.
- Homemade almond milk and almond butter are my preferred for the creamiest tastiest sauce. However, if you donโt have any then shop bought is absolutely fine.
- Green peppercorns have a milder taste than black peppercorns. Use whichever you prefer. Or more than suggested below if you like things really spicy.
- The sauce will thicken if rested. If itโs starting to become too thick then simply whisk in more almond milk.
Need more dairy-free Friday night dinners? Why not try:
The Best Gluten-Free Chicken Schnitzel
Sriracha Honey Beef Stir-Fry
Gluten-Free Fish and Chips
Lemon, Honey and Sesame Chicken
I cannot wait to hear what you think about this Steak with Dairy-Free Peppercorn Sauce recipe. Is your life as revolutionised as mine?
If you make Steak with Dairy-Free Peppercorn Sauce then please leave a comment below and/or give the recipe a rating. If you then go on to use this recipe as a launch pad for your own baking creation then Iโd also love it if youโd share it and tag me on Instagram. It is so lovely for me to see your versions and variations of my recipes.
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Steak with Dairy-Free Peppercorn Sauce
before serving with the creamiest gluten-free Dairy-Free Peppercorn Sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 rib eye steaks - 1 inch thick cut
- โ teaspoon salt
- โ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - see notes below
- 1 small onion - diced (about 80-100g chopped onion)
- 2 tablespoons vermouth
- 150 ml almond milk
- 30 g almond butter
- 1 teaspoon green peppercorns
- โ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat a cast iron or sautรฉ pan on high until smoking.
- Turn the heat down to low and add olive oil.
- Rub the steaks with salt and pepper then immediately place both into the pan.
- Cook the steaks for 2 minutes on each side.
- Remove the steaks from the pan (do not turn off the heaand leave them to rest on a board whilst you prepare the sauce.
- Add the diced onion to the pan and cook on a low heat for 2-3 minutes.
- De-glaze the pan with the vermouth which will sizzle up.
- Pour in the almond milk directly followed by the almond butter and whisk together until combined.
- Add the freshly ground black pepper and green peppercorns and whisk up for about a minute. The sauce should thicken to a cream-like consistency.
- Place the steaks on two plates then immediately pour the sauce over the steaks and serve.
I know this recipe calls for almond butter...I am confused...is this like the almond butter that is the peanut butter alternative? Or is there a different type of almond butter that is like actual butter/ghee? Just want to make sure I get the right product.
Yes, the almond butter which is like peanut butter. It may seem strange but it works and is delicious!!!
Really good! Substituted milk and whitr wine vinegar. Amazing! Will make again
I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe!!
Hello! Would Brandy work instead of vermouth? Iโm making this this weekend Iโll let you know how I go
Hi Jess, yes brandy would work just as well. Let me know how it goes!!
Amazing sauce! I let it simmer longer to make it thicker and used about 60g of shallots. Thanks for the recipe!
Such a pleasure! I'm happy you liked the recipe - it's our favourite!
I could not find green peppercorns anywhere! But, I added a small amount of regular black pepper, and added garlic and chopped mushrooms. Shocked how good this sauce is! Canโt wait to do it again
Hi Sam - yes that's a great substitution. Sounds delicious and I'm so happy you like the recipe - it's our favourite meal!!
Thank you so much! I went with the almond milk and almond butter, it wasnโt over powering at all and satisfied a craving Iโve been longing for! Tasted amazing!
That's great to hear! We have it every single Friday in our house - it's our favourite dinner.
Thank you. I'm looking for an alternative to the Cook's Illustrated steak au poivre I used to make before my wife had to go GF/DF/EF. My first thought (after many years and a recent delve into Indian cooking) was to try making it with coconut cream.
Suggestion: use shallot instead of onion.
I didn't have almond milk and butter. I substituted with soy milk and earth balance. The sauce turned up delicious!
Thank you for the recipe:)
You're most welcome - what great substitutions!